When A Jack Russell Bites!

The biting tendencies of the Jack Russell terrier can be traced back to their breeding as hunters. Years of being bred to chase and pounce on fallen prey have cemented themselves as seemingly permanent fixtures of the Jack Russell personality. Biting is also a way for Jack’s to establish dominance within a household, especially for those dogs who have a sense of entitlement and want to continue their reign as leader of the pack.



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Common Biting Problems



Keep in mind that not all Jack Russell biting is an act of aggression. Here’s a quick list of some scenarios that may lead your Jack to bite:



Play Biting Or Biting To Gain Attention?



Often puppies will use their mouths in order to engage with you and maintain your attention. They’ll mouth at your hand much like they’d pull the tails and ears of their parents and siblings, and they often get over-excited when playing and forget that you’re not one of them.



Bitting After A Chase



As a result of their breeding, Jacks instinctively want to end every chase with a big bite. Even though this is a natural impulse, Jacks must be discouraged from biting people they’ve chased in play.



Aggressive Biting



As already touched on, Jack Russell biting can sometimes stem from aggression or feelings of dominance. This is the rarest cause of and must be dealt with immediately.



Ending Jack Russell Biting



The challenges of preventing your dog’s biting habit will depend on how pronounced the problem is. By starting corrective training early, before these problems fully develop, you’ll give yourself the best chance at combating these issues. Lucikly, there are courses of action to follow.



Begin the training process by stopping all rowdy playing. Games where he can assert his dominance should definitely be avoided because in these instances it’s more likely that he’ll nip – he wants to win the game after all – so instead of wrestling or tug of war opt for ball games, for example. If he gets over-excited then a time out should be employed, as he’ll soon realise that if he can’t play without biting he can’t play at all.



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If your puppy likes to communicate with his mouth then try to stop it as soon as you can. As soon as he goes for your hand pull it away and respond with a clear, firm "no" – this should suffice, but if he’s not getting the message just put your hand over his muzzle as well. Praise him when he doesn’t nip, and if he’s particularly young try distracting him with a chew toy.



Bites that are chasing related are harder to address. Putting up a fence will not only prevent your dog from chasing pedestrians, but also obstruct your dog’s vision, which will further reduce temptation.



And what about biting as a symptom of domination? Before your dog’s biting gets out of control, be sure you assert your own dominance within the home first. Remove him from furniture and only grant him attention when he’s earned it through good deeds. If such solutions fail to work, seek professional assistance before his condition worsens.



While biting is a natural instinct of the Jack Russell, early training can solve this common problem. If you begin early enough, stay consistent with your discipline, and seek professional help if you need it, your dog will eventually be the calm and loving companion you wish him to be.



I sincerely hope that you got some benefit out of this article. You might want to check out the following website for solutions to a whole range of Jack Russell known problems, so that you enjoy your time together with your beautiful pet: Jack Russell Terrier Personality.